Individuals involved in the installing and repairing of oil burners should be aware of a number of different indicators of malfunctions in the equipment, their probable causes, and some suggested remedies. The average individual is most aware of malfunctions that warn the senses through excessive noise, smoke, or odor. These are external warning signals that […]
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The following instruments are recommended for combustion testing and adjustments: • Draft gauge • Smoke tester • Carbon dioxide tester • 200/1000°F stack thermometer • 0/150-psig pressure gauge • 0/30-inch mercury vacuum gauge Smoky combustion indicates poor burner performance. The amount of smoke in the flue gas can be measured with a smoke tester (see […]
Read More…Oil burner manufacturers provide detailed starting and operating instructions for their burners in their user manuals. These instructions should be carefully followed when attempting to start an oil burner. If there is no available user manual, contact a local representative of the manufacturer or contact the manufacturer directly for a copy. The procedure for starting […]
Read More…Under most circumstances, oil burners and oil-fired units should be installed in rooms that provide adequate clearance from the combustible material. The only exception to this rule is when specific instructions are given otherwise. In this case, the manufacturer provides or specifies a suitable combustion chamber (stainless steel, firebrick, etc.). All local codes and ordinances […]
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The cadmium detection cell is the most effective type of primary safety control used on oil burners. Malfunctions cause primary safety control to build up electrical resistance across the cell until the burner is automatically shut off. As soon as the burner shuts off, a reset button pops up on the burner. The button must […]
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The air system for the average oil burner is generally composed of the air shutter draft tube, the turbulator, and the fan. The draft tube and turbulator have already been shown The fan construction consists of a (squirrel cage) series of vanes or blades mounted on the rim of a wheel. These vanes are slanted […]
Read More…The electrodes must be frequently checked and adjusted to ensure proper and efficient ignition of the fuel oil. Broken or malfunctioning electrodes can result in smoke leaking out into the rooms of the structure. This problem, called a puffback, is not an uncommon one in oil-fired appliances (see sidebar). Puffbacks A puffback, or the leaking […]
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An oil burner nozzle is a device designed to deliver a fixed amount of fuel to the combustion chamber in a uniform spray pattern and spray angle best suited to the requirements of a specific burner. The oil burner nozzle atomizes the fuel oil (i.e., breaks it down into extremely small droplets) so that the […]
Read More…The troubleshooting list in Table 1-3 contains the most common operating problems associated with fuel pumps and fuel units. Each problem is given in the form of a symptom, the possible cause, and a suggested remedy. The purpose of this list is to provide the operator with a quick reference to the cause and correction […]
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The oil-pressure regulator on the fuel pump is generally factory-set to give nozzle oil pressures of 100 psig. The firing rate is indicated on the nameplate and can be obtained with standard nozzles by adjusting the pump pressures as follows: 1. Turn the adjusting screw clockwise to increase pressure. 2. Turn the adjusting screw counterclockwise […]
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